Low-intensity task-oriented exercise for ambulation-challenged residents in long-term care facilities: a randomized,...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Older adults in long-term care often experience mobility decline.
• Impaired walking and balance affect daily living activities and quality of life.
• Targeted interventions are needed to improve functional ambulation in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a task-oriented ambulation training program.
• To assess improvements in walking, balance, and activities of daily living (ADL) performance.
• To determine the impact on residents with ambulation challenges but existing walking potential.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week randomized controlled trial involving 50 residents.
• Intervention group received individualized task-oriented ambulation training (30-45 mins, 3x/week).
• Control group received routine nursing care; assessments by a blind evaluator pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The training group demonstrated significant improvements in walking speed and balance (Berg Balance Scale).
• Timed Up and Go Test performance improved significantly in the training group.
• No significant differences were found between groups for the 6-Minute Walk Test or Barthel Index.

Conclusions:

• A 4-week task-oriented ambulation training program is effective for improving walking function and balance.
• This intervention benefits ambulation-challenged residents with walking potential in long-term care settings.
• Improvements were noted in specific measures of gait speed and static/dynamic balance.